


Heart to Heart

by Joel7th



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon)
Genre: Adrian stays with Dracula, Alternate Universe, Dark!Adrian, Fluff and Humor, Godbrand (mentioned) - Freeform, M/M, Valentine's Day Fluff, hectorcard, one-sided Godbrand/Hector, possessiveness and jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22773013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joel7th/pseuds/Joel7th
Summary: It was that time of the year and Godbrand gave Hector a gift in accordance with vampire tradition. Unfamiliar with vampire tradition and customs, Hector did not take it too kindly.
Relationships: Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Hector, Alucard/Hector (Castlevania)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 81





	Heart to Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired by a tweet from the account Adrian Fahrenheit Ţepeş (Twitter) to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  
> https://joel7th.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/img_4890.jpg?w=768&h=895

Dracula was greeted with the rhythmic chimes of metal on stone when he was a few steps away from the entrance to Hector’s forge. He stopped, stayed still and for several moments did nothing but listen. He wondered if the Forgemaster was aware of the musical quality his infernal work was imbued with, of how those monotonous tunes had such calming effect on the vampire lord’s exhausted, tumultuous mind that it was almost therapeutic. It was a shame his study and Hector’s workplace resided at opposite ends of the castle since he wouldn’t mind listening to the young man’s hammer hitting stone all night. Should have taken that into consideration at the planning stage, he mused.

His musing was cut short as he received a subconscious reminder of why having his place and Hector’s within hearing distance might not be the idealest arrangement. It was tacitly known throughout the castle that Dracula’s only son spent his time in this wing as much as he did in his own lair. He did not need to ask Adrian for the reason; a father should be perceptive and Dracula prided himself on that particular department. Plus he had been there to witness the moment Adrian locked eyes with the newly arrived Forgemaster and the air between them crackled. Between their nocturnal activities and his preternatural hearing, his mental wellbeing was put at risk; being the vampire with the keenest ears in the lot could prove to be disastrous. Damn those youths and their rampant libidos.

Sparks flew like stars and the body on the slab convulsed and morphed. Dracula watched with mild fascination the unholy birth of a night creature. The half-bitten head started to grow scarlet flesh as the same time the shape of the skull elongated, turning canine. Glowing blue eyes filled up empty sockets, mouth became snout and equipped with double rows of jagged teeth, and a drill-like horn protruded from triangular forehead. Ear-piercing shrieks erupting from its new mouth, the creature rolled off its birthing bed and curled up on the floor while its body continued to shift. Its arched back was embossed with the shape of its spine and with a ripping sound, a set of chiropteran wings tore through its skin. It scrambled to stand on its hooves, stumbling a few times and making a lot of noise until the transformation was complete and its final form settled: red like the Devil and gorgeous in its grotesquerie. Looming over its master, the night creature lifted its head and bellowed before proceeding to slap Hector with its clawed hand.

Dracula moved his feet, ready to intervene lest he find himself short of an invaluable Forgemaster, but the vampire lord stilled when he saw Hector evade the strike with nary a scratch. So the young man was not utterly hopeless in combat as his lean form suggested, Dracula thought, amused. Having missed, the creature panted in frustration, drooling onto the floor before it struck again with its needlelike claws. Hector dodged the assaults again and again, moving around his workshop with grace like a dance master leading a waltz. It suddenly occurred to Dracula that this sort of hostile behavior was likely inevitable in newborn creatures, whose births defiled the very law of nature, and Hector must have had ample experience in dealing with it on his own, otherwise he would not be here right now. That explained the ease and serenity he had been demonstrating since his own creation started trying to maim him.

With his arms crossing in front of his chess, Dracula watched the monster’s speed decline until it ceased all movements. Its jaws hung open, its nostrils dilated to sniff its master’s scent, and the vitreous surface of its beady eyes showed Hector’s reflections. The young man’s stern expression shifted into a pleased one, and a small smile graced his lips. “Good girl,” he cooed, patting the side of the creature’s head with his left hand. It tilted its head and rubbed its cheek against his palm, mindless of the fact that its scaly hide could scratch his tender flesh. “Go and join your siblings in the pen,” he ordered and retrieved his hand, turning on his heels to walk to the corner, where a basin and washcloth were laid on an unornate table.

The monster whimpered — actually whimpered — and stalked to him with all the subtlety of a sliding boulder. It lowered its neck and looked about to butt his master in the back, an innocent and playful gesture with a catastrophic outcome. Fortunately, what appeared to save Hector from a tragic fate of impalement was the creature’s single shred of intelligence: its head shook as if to physically rid the notion, and its tail coiled around Hector’s calf, causing him to stumble and nearly trip.

Just outside the room, Dracula couldn’t help a chuckle. This was easily the most hilarious thing he had seen in months, and though it was a far cry from joy, seeing his talented general fumbling did light a spark in his bleak mind. Perhaps he should venture here more often.

“The hell you think you’re doing?” Hector scolded, trying to untangle the tail from his leg. Meanwhile the creature opened its mouth, baring its fangs in all their glory, and Dracula arched an eyebrow, almost convinced it was going to bite the Forgemaster’s head clean off. The need to intervene lingered even after it turned out to be unnecessary, since all the beast did was lick its maker with a forked tongue, slathering half of his face and his hair with saliva. Dracula smiled, sensing Hector’s patience plummeting to the deep, deep end.

“Out!” Hector spat. Anger and frustration added a glow to his eyes that could rival his creations’. His forefinger jabbed the spot between the monster’s eyes. “Out, before I send you back to that slab and reforge you!”

His threat, coupled with his harsh tone and finger, had an immediate effect on the creature. It stared at him with disproportioned eyes, unblinking for several seconds, and let out a whine but it obeyed him nonetheless, getting to its feet and making its way to the exit. Its long, veiny tail dragged on the ground as proof of great reluctance.

Hector wiped his cheek and hair with a washcloth and huffed. “What kind of day is it? First was that brutish annoying vampire and now this nonsense! I’ll be damned if it becomes a trend!” He stopped his rant abruptly and whipped around to face the entrance. “And you!” he barked. “Quit peeping. I know you’ve been there for a while. If you think you scare me—”

Dracula chuckled as he stepped out of the shadow and into Hector’s workshop. As expected, his presence shut Hector up at once, and the Forgemaster stood frozen, eyes like saucer and shock written over his youthful face. “I wanted to pay my two Forgemasters a visit to see if they have adapted to life at the castle. Then I saw such an interesting scene I couldn’t help myself. My sincere apologies if I happened to disturb you.”

“No-no, my lord,” Hector stammered. A blush dusted his tanned cheeks, which wasn’t quite visible given the lighting here, but it posed no problem to his enhanced vision. “I was frustrated so I sort of lashed out. It’s nothing really.”

Hector glanced around his place and went to retrieve a chair. Dracula took his offer and sat down with grace.

“I must have you know that I care about my Forgemasters’ wellbeing,” he began, looking Hector in the eyes. “Therefore I would very much like to be informed if something, or someone, in this castle is bothering you, and I will deal with the matter promptly. So, Hector, do share. Get it off your chest before it consumes you.”

Hector signed, briefly running his hand through his silver locks. The gesture reminded Dracula of his own son, who did the same before he had something unpleasant to tell his father. Wasn’t it great now that they were subconsciously mirroring each other?

“It’s... Godbrand,” Hector hesitated.

“Huhm? Godbrand. That vampire is a brute who looks down on humans and he is all mouth. Is he harassing you? Threatening you?”

“He doesn’t threaten me, but he’s been acting quite strange.”

“Strange how?”

Hector’s gaze flickered to an empty corner in the room. “He comes here often and just lounges around with no purpose while I’m working.”

“You find it vexing?”

“Honestly, yes. I don’t mind being watched but I prefer silence to chinwag and he doesn’t seem to take the hint that I couldn’t care less about his ‘exquisite’ method of building boats from human remains.”

“Is he hostile towards you?”

Hector shook his head. “No. He’s actually kind of... agreeable, which is strange because I can’t imagine Godbrand has anything other than disdain for me.”

An idea flashed in his mind, lifting the corners of his lips. “You are right. That is indeed strange.”

“Then just after sunset today he pushed a box into my hands and stormed off without a word.”

“What was inside?”

Hector wrinkled his nose, another mirrored expression. At this point Dracula didn’t know whether he should find it amusing or unsettling. “Inside was a human heart,” Hector said. “It was bloody and still beating when I opened the box. Am I supposed to interpret this ‘gift’ as a death threat or an attempt to intimidate me?”

It took all Dracula’s hundreds years of self-restraint to not laugh. This was simply comedy gold. He cleared his throat. “Are you intimidated?” he asked.

“I am insulted,” Hector replied. “I may be a mere human smith but I am also a general of the same rank as he is. He should have had at least the grace to say it to my face.”

“He was neither threatening nor intimidating you, rest assured.”

“Then why a bloody heart?”

“Why don’t you ask Adrian?”

“He... I haven’t seen him since last night. He must have gone out.”

“Hector, I think you have mistaken the meaning of Godbrand’s gift. Yes, it was a gift in the truest sense of that word, no hidden agenda. To us vampires, such a gift carries a special meaning.”

“A special meaning?” Hector echoed. “What is it?”

Dracula find himself smiling at Hector. It was a small smile, barely there before it vanished, but it was already an improvement from the perpetually straight line of his mouth. “It is better if you have Adrian explain it to you,” Dracula said, leaving his seat to give Hector a pat on the shoulder. “Ask him when he returns, which I believe to be soon. The boy should not want to miss tonight.”

“Why is that?”

“Do you not know what date it is?”

Hector blinked. “I sort of forget. Keeping time and date is a bit harder in the castle than back in my cottage.”

“Remind me to get a calendar,” Dracula said. “It is the fourteenth of February.”

Hector blinked several times until he let out a soft “oh”.

...

“Uhmm, this is delicious,” Hector moaned. In his hands was a half-eaten pastry, its soft cheese filling oozing from the edge onto his finger. He was about to bring it to his mouth but Adrian beat him to it by catching his wrist. He then proceeded to suck Hector’s digit, teasing the soft pad with a hint of teeth. Just enough pressure for Hector to feel their sharpness but not to break the skin — he preferred to taste the Forgemaster’s spiced blood somewhere else, his lovely neck preferably. Hector’s work was manual; it wouldn’t do to damage any part of his hands.

Adrian released his finger and smiled, making sure to flash his fangs. “It has to be,” he said, hopping onto the slab. “It took me almost two days to go to that town and back.”

“So that’s where you went. Just to get a batch of _papanași_.”

Adrian cocked an eyebrow, nudging Hector’s side. “Didn’t you say you wanted to try some _papanași_?”

Hector finished the pastry and wiped his hands with a washcloth. “You remember something I said in passing?”

Adrian feigned annoyance. “Of course I remember.”

Hector beamed and pecked him on the lips. “Thank you. But isn’t it time-consuming to go that far for some sweet treats?”

“Father refused to move the castle so I had to race against time,” Adrian huffed. “That bakery made the best _papanași_ in Wallachia; I visited it many times when I was younger. Luckily it is still open since the little backwater town hasn’t been ravaged... yet.”

Hector glanced at the brown paper bag and sighed. “They make such fine pastry.”

“It can’t be helped,” Adrian concluded. “Did something happen while I was away?”

Hector got off the slab and went to the table where he placed a few necessities. He retrieved a box wrapped in crimson and hopped back onto the slab. Adrian eyed the item with narrow eyes.

“Godbrand gave me this box earlier today. Guess what is inside? A bloody human heart, no pun intended.”

Adrian opened the box and peeked into its content. He snorted and set it aside. “He did?”

“I thought he was sending me death threats, but Lord Dracula said I was wrong. He also said I should ask you the meaning of such a gift.”

“Care for a story?” Adrian asked, smiling.

Hector nodded and inched closer until their thighs were touching again.

“Years ago, when my parents just cemented their relationship, around this time, Father brought Mother a red velvet box. It had taken all her courage not to scream, she told me.”

“Was it a heart inside?”

“Covered in blood and still beating,” Adrian confided. “Needless to say, she was furious once the initial shock passed.”

Hector made a face. “She must have thought he was threatening her, or at least pulling a horrible prank.”

To Hector’s surprise, Adrian laughed. “No, she knew what it meant.” A pause. “A bloody heart is the vampire equivalent of red roses and chocolate and anything humans give their significant others to show love during this time of the year.”

For a second, there was nothing but shock on Hector’s expression. Then the shock faded as realization dawned in. He stared at Godbrand’s box. “It was to show love?”

Adrian hummed in agreement. “A bloody heart that’s still beating is most ideal. Back in the day, some vampires in Father’s court had so many admirers that they usually went home with a basketful of hearts.”

“I find it unbelievable that Godbrand wants to show me love. He likes to remind me how keen he is on making boats out of humans. Humans like me.”

Adrian scoffed, twirling a silver lock around his finger. “Your obliviousness is what I love about you.”

Hector chuckled. “I thought it was my face.”

“And your face, too, amongst other things,” Adrian said, leaning in for a quick kiss. “Ask any vampire in the castle and they’ll tell you Godbrand has a thing for you. He isn’t exactly being discreet, either. I’m two steps from challenging him to a mano a mano, vampire style.”

“I have no feeling for Godbrand whatsoever, except mild annoyance.”

“I know, but it’s a matter of territory. As you put it, vampires are like cats and cats are territorial.”

“Am I your territory?”

“Don’t you want to?” Adrian wrapped an arm around Hector’s shoulder, pulling him close to his body. He craned his neck and nibbled the shell of Hector’s ear, then blew a puff of air into it. He grinned into Hector’s skin, satisfied with the whole-body shiver such a simple act elicited.

“How to tell Godbrand I want neither his gift nor his affection?” Hector said, somewhat breathless. “How did your mother return the gift?”

Adrian shrugged. “She didn’t, as it would have broken Father’s own heart.”

“But she was furious?”

“She furiously demanded to know whose heart it was, and only calmed down after he told her it belonged to a man who had hung that day, no killing involved on his part.”

“And then?”

“Like any studious scientist, she wouldn’t pass an opportunity to study the anatomy of a human heart. She took out her scalpels and proceeded to dissect it on the spot.”

Hector could almost vision Dracula’s smitten look as he watched his wife work. He was sure he had that same look around Adrian sometimes, especially when he was treated to the dhampir’s sword dance.

“I’m afraid I don’t share the same interest in human anatomy, despite my line of work,” Hector said. “What am I to do with the heart?”

“A shame. I have much interest in _your_ anatomy.”

As if to emphasize his point, Adrian laid his hand on the top of Hector’s thigh, kneading the flesh through the fabric of his breeches. He couldn’t help a smirk as he heard the Forgemaster’s heart speed up several notches. “Adrian...” he moaned, putting his hand on Adrian’s but making no attempt to stop him. “Not in my workshop. Anyone can walk by, Godbrand, your father...”

Adrian lifted the Forgemaster’s face with a finger under his chin so that they locked eyes like the moment they had acknowledged each other’s existence, and within seconds had come to a realization that their carnal desire was mutual. Mesmerized by the golden blaze in his irises, Hector fixed him an unblinking stare.

“I have half the heart to let Godbrand watch us,” Adrian drawled. “That way he’ll know he should quit before I have to rip his heart out and upset Father.”

“Adrian…”

“But I like to consider myself a gentleman, and today is meant to celebrate love and romance.”

Adrian slid off the slab and scooped Hector in his arms with ease, eliciting a quiet gasp from his mouth. Hector locked his arms around his neck while Adrian strode to the door leading to the Forgemaster’s private quarters.

“About Godbrand’s gift,” Adrian said, “you can feed it to your creatures the next time he comes here.”

Perplexed, Hector looked up at him. “Isn’t that too harsh?”

“That’s the way with vampires — you either reciprocate their love or trample it, no need for subtlety. Unless you want to give him the wrong idea that you may consider it.”

“I do not,” Hector denied.

“Then take my advice and crush him thoroughly.”

Hector exhaled. “I hope he doesn’t take rejection too badly.”

Adrian just snorted.

They were inside Hector’s room. Gently Adrian laid Hector on the mattress and lowered himself on top of him.

“How come you didn’t give me a heart? Just a random thought.”

“I figured you would have no need for a human heart, which turns out to be right,” Adrian replied, his hand deftly undoing the clasp on Hector’s breeches. “I can give you something else, something with a lot more use.”

His chest falling and rising frantically, Hector grinned and cupped Adrian’s face in his hands. “I’m counting on that.”

_End_

**Author's Note:**

> In this story, Adrian stayed with his father and joined his war council.
> 
> I almost feel bad for Godbrand. I’ve entertained the idea of Godbrand and Hector becoming a couple, though I will probably never produce any story for this odd couple.


End file.
